New Saw Movie Taps Mike P. Nelson to Direct

The next Saw movie has officially hired a director as it prepares for Jigsaw’s next game.

Mike P. Nelson, an up-and-coming horror director responsible for films like the Wrong Turn reboot and Silent Night, Deadly Night, has been selected to direct the next Saw film. The flick is being penned by Gregory Weidman & Geoff Tock and produced by horror legends James Wan, Jason Blum, and Leigh Whannell. Wan and Whannell created the series as a disturbing short film before eventually expanding it into a gory low-budget feature.

Wan largely moved on from Saw following the third film, going on to direct Insidious, The Conjuring, and blockbusters like Aquaman. He’s expected to have a much more significant role in the next installment as Lionsgate attempts to bolster the franchise once again. Speaking on the decision to select Nelson as the director of the next chapter, Wan praised his style of filmmaking.

did you miss me? pic.twitter.com/c6tpQwanFF

— SAW (@Saw) September 24, 2026

“Making the original Saw was a defining experience for me, so it was essential to find a director who would honor that world,” said Wan. “Mike has a raw, distinctive filmmaking voice with an inventive approach to the genre, and I believe he’ll bring something truly unique and special to the franchise.”

Nelson was also excited about being able to take a crack at the beloved franchise.

“Being asked to play in this twisted sandbox with James is nothing short of a dream come true,” said Nelson. “Greg and Geoff and James have crafted such a wild script that brings the mystery of the original while exploring new insane bloody ideas that meld so well with the brutal moral compass of the franchise. Let the games begin!”

It’s unclear exactly what the next Saw film will entail. Saw X left the door open for more prequel movies, following Jigsaw’s adventures prior to his death, but creative disagreements reportedly caused the film to stall out. The various creatives that worked on Saw X were expected to return for a sequel, but have since walked away from the franchise. As a result, it sounds like whatever comes next will be something very different.

Wan and Whannell did confirm to Bloody Disgusting earlier this year that Jigsaw will play a significant role in the next Saw film, despite his death in the third movie.

“Leigh and I, we’re not going to give too much away, but we don’t think you can make a Saw movie without Jigsaw. That’s the bottom line. And ultimately, we want to hark back to the spirit, what Leigh and I love about the original first movie. The original first movie, which is Jigsaw’s philosophy and what makes him tick.”

A new Saw video game is also in the works from Bloober Team. The game, titled Saw: Genesis, is a multiplayer game where three players must escape a series of deadly games while a fourth player manipulates traps and tries to find ways to kill the victims.